


Dead Man Walking

by Broken_Twisted_Lullabies



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Hunting, Based on a song, Dean Winchester is Protective of Sam Winchester, Gabriel's an idiot, Human AU, It's probably not a good idea to sleep with your best friends brother, Law Student Sam Winchester, M/M, Musician Dean Winchester, Musician Gabriel (Supernatural), no matter how big of a crush you have on him and how hot he looks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29013885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Broken_Twisted_Lullabies/pseuds/Broken_Twisted_Lullabies
Summary: Gabriel and Dean have been best friends since they were three, and Gabriel's known Sam his whole life. All through their friendship, Gabriel's been well aware of the one unspoken rule Dean Winchester had for anyone and everyone: no one messes with Sammy. Easy, right? It's not like Gabriel had a huge crush on the guy and when the two of them got drunk and well... (Let's just say Gabriel probably -- definitely -- broke that rule) But hey, it's not like he plans to then turn the whole situation into a song and release it for the world to hear, right?
Relationships: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Gabriel & Dean Winchester, Gabriel & Lucifer & Michael & Raphael (Supernatural), Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Comments: 9
Kudos: 46





	Dead Man Walking

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a quick, short ficlet to take a break from my longer WIPs I still need to finish...oops.
> 
> The fic (and title) is based on the song, Dead Man Walking by Jon Bellion.

**planning Gabe's funeral**

_**Gabriel changed the name to** _ **planning Gabe's funeral**

**Gabriel**

So this is def dumb but i got a new song idea!

Jam sesh at my place?

**Lucifer**

Hell ya

Be there in ten

**Michael**

I feel like I should be worried about the number of times I've gotten texts like this from you. You didn't almost get arrested, did you?

Also, the group name is a bit much, no?

**Gabriel**

Nah but someone def will after this song gets released

And by arrested I mean for murder

Lighten up mikey don't diss me like this on my final days on earth

**Balthazar**

Can i be dj for your funeral?

**Gabriel**

Send me ur playlist first

**Balthazar**

K

**Raphael**

This sounds ominous and while I wish to have the time to see my baby brother one last time I'm kinda busy

**Gabriel**

Raphhhhhh

I'm dying and u can't even spare me a moment of pity?

**Raphael**

Gabriel if I had to rearrange my schedule every time you did something dramatic I'd never work

Just send me the invitation when the funeral is?

**Gabriel**

Rude

fine

But you're in charge of designing them. And i want them to be extra. I'm talking glittery ur best handwriting, that good paper and shit like that

**Lucifer**

Can I ask why you made a new chat without adding cassie and dean?

**Gabriel**

No u may not

Door will be unlocked

See y'all in five

* * *

One thing to understand in all this was that Gabriel didn't wake up today prepared to seal his fate at death via Dean Winchester. In fact, of all ways he imagined he might actually go out, this wasn't even in the top ten. Granted, he had stewed upon this impulsive idea for almost two weeks at this point, and each time he considered it, the more ridiculous and stupid it was. But, at the same time, he got even more enticing. And Gabriel, always the one with impulsiveness and being known for some outlandishly wild ideas, felt his fingers itching for his guitar, glancing at his keyboard, drawn to the idea of turning this whole situation into some form of a song. It wouldn't be too hard, hell, he could even turn it into a song and never, ever let it be heard beyond these walls.

He could keep it secret, and maybe one day when Gabriel was alive and breathing, and Dean was fine with all this, the song could be released and they'd all laugh about it and find it hilarious. Or: Gabriel could do something that he was told on multiple occasions was not a good idea, anyway, and face the consequences later.

Gabriel found himself sitting at his keyboard, finger tapping mindlessly on the C key despite it being off. Despite telling himself how screwed he'd be if he told people about this, Gabriel didn't seem to tell himself that he had ample opportunities to just back out of all this. To take the music sheet he had scribbled a few possible lines on and crumple it up, toss it in the trash and move on. After all, was a couple of laughs worth possibly ruining his oldest friendships?

"Maybe Sam's right, that I should wait before doing this," he said aloud to himself, looking over at his phone, which sat innocently on the kitchen counter. "I mean, maybe it's a dumb idea." Gabriel paused. "But maybe it'd be a dope song," he added, and there his mind went again, enticed by the idea of all this.

With a groan, Gabriel tried to convince himself things would be okay. After all, it's not like Gabriel killed the man's mother or something foul. He just...did something that Dean had said was completely off-limits, do-not-touch, do-not-even-think-of-it, sort of thing…

And now, looking at it, it might've been easier if he confessed to killing the man's mom.

Gabriel's eyes flinted over to his cupboard where he knew he kept his alcohol. This sounded like something that shouldn't be done sober, so he got up from the piano bench and made his way towards it.

* * *

He had known Dean since he was three. Gabriel's family had moved into the house right across the street from Dean's family and within an instant, the two had clicked and became the best of friends. They shared the same interests, loved the same games, and both thought cowboy movies are cool and Gabriel's older brothers were boring. Dean was the kind of childhood friend that stuck with you way past high school. They had jokingly formed a band in grade eleven and kept it up with a few other friends of theirs until graduation a year later, and from there, Gabriel had realized his passion for music and singing. Dean himself, although liking it, had never seen it as more than a fun hobby, and where Gabriel started writing his own songs, Dean found his interests lying elsewhere.

Still, from time to time, Dean would join Gabriel on some of his songs, and twenty years later, the two were still as thick as thieves.

Sam, on the other hand, Gabriel had known since he was a baby. Although he couldn't quite remember when Dean stayed over at his house for the night while his parents were at the hospital, Gabriel did remember when a few days later, Dean invited him over to introduce Gabriel to his new baby brother. From there, most of his memories he had with Dean also involved Sam - at least, when they were younger. Sam, from the moment he could walk, followed Dean around like a shadow, and even though Gabriel saw him as a bit dorky at times, he liked the kid too. Dean never once seemed too bothered by his little brother, and so Gabriel remembered movie nights and camping trips and going to the arcade with Sam in tow.

When they became teenagers, that had slowed down, as Sam reached the age where little siblings think it's too cool to hang out with their siblings in front of their friends, but he'd still show up from time to time, and ever since Sam came along, Gabriel had known one simple thing: nothing messed with Sam.

It sounded silly, and if Gabriel didn't know Dean he might think it was even a bit much. After all, it was Dean that gave the whole shovel-and-shotgun talk to Sam's dates, sizing each of them up and deciding with a single look about whether or not they were good enough for Sam. He was the chaperon for Sam's dates when they were younger, he was the one who fought Sam's bullies, and practically held a neon sign that said if you mess with Sam you're a dead man walking. Sam was untouchable, and Gabriel knew that. Don't ever piss off the overprotective older brother.

Which, in reality, should've been the easiest rule for Gabriel to follow. Hell, it wasn't like he had been harbouring a major crush on the kid for quite a few years now, and it definitely wasn't like Sam, after hitting puberty, went from dorky and cute to straight-up handsome.

(That was the case and he was so fucked.)

But Gabriel had tried. He had sincerely tried, keeping quiet about his crush, not even playfully flirting with Sam. But he had caved, okay? He had been up in California playing a couple of gigs and unintentionally bumped into Sam (who later confessed he had shown up explicitly hoping to see Gabriel there), and somehow Sam had offered to drink and talk.

"Let's catch up," Sam had told him, after they bumped into each other. "I feel like we haven't talked in ages." He was all dimples and sunny smiles with perfectly sun-kissed skin and oh fuck, how could Gabriel say no to a face like that? Especially when Sam seemed to be even more handsome than when he last saw him?

So they went to the bar, got a few drinks, and started talking. About what, Gabriel couldn't remember, but he remembered laughing, and he remembered how Sam looked under the dim lights and from there, well….Gabriel became a dead man walking.

They had woken up the next day, hungover, the bedside clock reading 12:30 PM. Sam's arm was draped over his waist and he was naked, and Gabriel realized he had probably fucked up. Because if Dean hadn't been cool with half the people Sam dated, he definitely wouldn't be cool with Gabriel sleeping with his brother (which, sounds ridiculous because you'd think of all people, Dean wouldn't mind his best friend and baby brother hooking up. However, it neglected the fact that Dean didn't think _anyone_ was good enough for Sam, and while Gabriel wasn't running around leaving behind a string of broken hearts, he knew, in the beginning, if anything, Dean wouldn't be happy with all this). So, Gabriel, fully prepared for Sam to wake up and find them tangled in the sheets, panic and kick him out saying this had been a big mistake, had been completely surprised when Sam offered him a shy smile and told him he could stay for breakfast if he wanted.

And, that one night had turned into a few hookups and dates, shared breakfasts and movie nights when Gabriel was in town, and Gabriel figured maybe this wasn't so bad.

"You know, this whole thing would make a hilarious song," Gabriel brought up one morning while they were eating pancakes.

They had been together officially for about two months (but beyond a couple of hookups had only been on like four dates), and the idea had popped into Gabriel's head randomly that morning.

"That's an awful idea." When Gabriel chuckled, Sam put down the fork. "Gabe, I mean it. That's a bad idea, no scratch that. That's the _worst idea I've ever heard._ You want to write a song announcing you got drunk with your best friend's brother and slept with him and now if said best friend finds out you'll literally be dead?" He frowned, giving Gabriel a look. "Dean would probably kill you less if you texted him a picture of the two of us naked in bed."

He pointed this out matter-of-factly, and Gabriel could agree it was a stupid idea. An absolutely idiotic, never do it, underlined in red three times, bolded, five exclamation marks.

"Besides, you can't actually plan on releasing this song publicly, right?" Sam added, meaning for it to be a rhetorical question. "Oh god, you were thinking about that, weren't you?" Sam's eyes were wide in horror at Gabriel's lack of response.

The blonde leaned over to kiss him on the lips. "Don't you want to live a little, Samsquatch?" Gabriel teased back, earning a classic bitchface from Sam.

"You aren't going to be alive once Dean finds out, especially like that."

Maybe so, Gabriel mused. He then a week later texted his brothers the moment he and Sam were official and decided: I'm going to do it.

* * *

"He told you not to make a song and you still want to make a song? " Michael sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked so done with Gabriel's shit, and in all fairness, Gabriel figured he probably was. But, of all of the insane ideas, Gabriel had had that Michael had the privy of knowing, the younger one definitely figured this took not only the cherry on top but the whole damn cake.

"Gabriel, man. You are so fucked," Lucifer chimed in from his spot on the other end of the couch, a look of disbelief on his face.

His brothers and best friend, Balthazar, had arrived at his apartment about fifteen minutes ago, and ten minutes after he had aimlessly and awkwardly tried to avoid speaking explicitly about what he had called all of them here for, Gabriel, drunk, had told them exactly why they would need to plan his funeral.

"Like, I thought you were being dramatic but oh baby brother, we're going to have to cremate you after what Dean does to your body," Lucifer continues, making Michael sigh again, harder, and Balthazar begin cackling from his spot on the floor.

"He won't even have a body to deal with after Dean gets to him, mark my word!" Balthazar chokes out between cackles, leaning in to grab a new beer bottle from Gabriel's coffee table. He wiped the tears from his eyes, and a bit breathless, adds, "I mean, the guy low-key scares me."

Lucifer mutters, "Low-key?", raising a brow but Balthazar plows on as if he didn't hear it.

"He definitely knows like five ways to destroy a body, and that's just off the top of his head, Gabe. Have you seen the muscles on him? Man could snap you like a twig."

Gabriel glared at him. "Not helping, Balth."

The blond shrugged, leaning back and taking a swig.

Michael, who hasn't said much beyond his initial comment speaks up. "You do know you don't have to do this, Gabriel," he points out, shooting the others disappointed looks at their lack of effort to try and stray Gabriel away from turning this whole situation into a song. "Wouldn't it be easier if the two of you came clean about all this?"

Lucifer snickered and Michael gave him a look that said, _shut up._

"No one's forcing you to write this song. Literally no one. In fact, more people have told you not to do this over to do this," his eldest brother continued, and Gabriel gave a nod.

Michael wasn't exactly wrong there. No one was twisting his arm to add another song to his new album. It was perfectly fine left the way it was.

"He has a point," Balthazar adds, tipping his beer bottle in Michael's direction, partially agreeing with him.

"I'm sensing a ' _but'_ in there." Gabriel reached for his own drink, waiting for his friend to continue.

Balthazar finishes with a: "But it'd be a wicked song."

Gabriel hummed, and there was the enticing idea again, back in his mind. Even Lucifer seemed to agree with Balthazar, and Michael, who was now beginning to realize being the voice of reason was useless and nothing he could say would convince his brother, groaned.

"I can't actually be the only one here thinking this is a bad idea."

"Oh, it absolutely is, Mikey. But Gabriel then learns to deal with the consequences. And, if all things turn out okay, he gets a cool song." Lucifer then grabs two beers off the coffee table, handing one to Michael. "You're gonna give yourself grey hairs if you keep worrying like this. Drink up Mikey and just let the dead man here have his fun."

Michael takes the drink, eyeing it with great trepidation before sighing and taking a large swig. He was gonna need a lot of alcohol to sit back and let his baby brother do something this monumentally stupid.

"So, Gabe. Sing us your song."

* * *

He doesn't see Dean in person until it's a couple of weeks before his new album drops, but they've talked about it over text a few times. Gabriel even sends him a few snippets of the songs off the album, letting Dean listen to the entire thing when he comes over to Gabriel's place - minus the one song, of course. Only Sam gets to officially hear the song and asks him what he thinks of it.

**Sam** to **Gabriel**

Regardless of whether or not I like the song, this is the dumbest thing you've ever done

Gabriel had laughed, not at all hurt by the comment. He both knew Sam had secretly liked it, even just a little bit, and that it had turned out to be a good song regardless of what might happen afterward. So, if Gabriel dies, hey, he'll not die having regretted that at least.

> **Gabriel** to **Sam**
> 
> Oops :)

* * *

The day the album drops, Sam is over at Gabriel's apartment. They still haven't broken the news to Dean, especially now that they've truly made it official, but Gabriel figures they don't have to wait much longer before Dean calls him, having listened to _the song._ Officially, Sam isn't supposed to be in New York until tomorrow, but Gabriel had selfishly wanted one day of peace with his boyfriend, and Sam didn't hate the idea either. However, they don't get much peace and alone time because suddenly someone's pounding at his door, attempting to break the whole thing down it seems.

"GABRIEL, YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!" Dean shouts from the other side of the door, and Gabriel throws his head back and laughs.

Leaning in to give Sam a quick kiss on the lips, he says, "Sorry Sammich, gotta go." Getting up from the couch, the pounding at the door seems to have paused, and it's then that all members remember Dean had a key to Gabriel's apartment. "If Dean murders me, you'll defend me in court, right?"

Sam rolls his eyes playfully, a smile on his face. "We'll see."

That's good enough for Gabriel, who kisses him once more just as the lock clicks and Dean flings open the door. As Dean moves into the room, Gabriel grabs his shoes before he rushes to the living room window and flings it open. He climbs out to the fire escape, tossing a: "Dinner, tomorrow night. My treat!" over his shoulder to Sam before cackling and scaling his way down.

Dean growls his name from the open window, but by then Gabriel's on the street, planning to give Dean some time to cool down first before coming back. Dean will definitely yell at him a bit when he gets back, but Gabriel doesn't regret a thing.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment or kudos if you liked it!
> 
> Also, before anyone says anything, you can't tell me you and your friends didn't jokingly create a funeral for that one friend in your gc if they didn't answer after a while while the others were talking (my friends aren't the only ones, right? we picked out the music, the outfit/dress code, and I got chosen to design the invitations) like this happened with two friend groups on two separate occasions. And it wasn't even in a nihilistic "i wanna die" situation, just a "for funsies" sort of thing.
> 
> Plus, I'm thinking, anyone here that has a tumblr account, if I made a blog where I posted any WIP snippets or teasers or half-finished ideas would y'all like that? Cause I have a whole bunch of things that I start and that sit in my docs and idk if people would find that cool or not.


End file.
